Ronald McDonald House
The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974 and has subsequently expanded to over 300 houses around the world. Ronald McDonald Charities® is a non-profit organization that creates and supports programs to help improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Their programs help to support families, which enables families to be actively involved in their child’s care. The Maine chapter has two Ronald McDonald House programs, one in Portland and one in Bangor, The Ronald McDonald Family Room located in the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital as well as the Ronald McDonald House Charities Grants Program. The Portland House opened in 1995 and was later expanded in 2005 to 21 bedrooms. They provide a home away from home for pediatric families, including those in the neonatal intensive care unit, by having a local place to stay and amenities of home, such as home cooked meals, a full kitchen, and complimentary laundry facilities. For more information, visit their website.